


The Crying Man

by BirdyBanter



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:34:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23464006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdyBanter/pseuds/BirdyBanter
Summary: Can the despair of one man break down the carefully constructed walls of a former CIA agent?
Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	The Crying Man

**Author's Note:**

> This is a different first meeting for John and Harold. I hope you enjoy it.

Between his time on the streets and the experiences he’d had in his former career there weren’t many things John Reese hadn’t come across. His innocence, if it ever existed, was well and truly gone. So, when he heard the sounds of what could be best described as a crying man, it was no surprise to him. Nothing out of the ordinary for homeless people (almost exclusively to those recently made homeless) although mostly they only cried on the inside. Wearing your heart on your sleeve out here was dangerous and most were empty. Unable to express any feelings they couldn’t afford to have and without the time, busy just surviving, to analyse them. He didn’t often interfere, was no longer the hero he once romantically thought himself to be. But these sounds, these sounds he was drawn to them and couldn’t think why. So sure, he didn’t care about anything anymore and yet he went towards them. 

A little guy was being held against a wall by two much bigger men.

‘I…I don’t have anything…someone else already took everything.’ The little guy was saying while making a futile attempt to free himself of two sets of restraining hands.

‘I’m sure there’s still something you can give us, sweetheart.’ The bigger of the two men said one of his hands descending.

That was Reese’s cue, ‘Hey you two, get lost or pick on someone your own size.’ Reese said still not sure he really wanted to be a knight in less than shining armour but not liking bullies and also not opposed to a fight, to liven a boring night up. 

‘You lookin’ for a fight pal?’ The smaller of the thugs asked with a fist up.

‘If you think you can handle one.’ Reese shot back.

The bad guys left their victim then and advanced on Reese. Big mistake. In seconds they were a heap of limbs on the floor.

Reese then turned and walked away; job done. He only had a few seconds to himself though before he felt a tap on his shoulder. Reluctantly he turned to find himself face to face with the little guy.

‘Uh, Mister…please can you help me, I fear I’m lost. A long way from home, I think. And after what you did…thank you so much for that. I thought maybe you could be the one to help me.’

John stared into those big blue eyes and decided he didn’t want to give into them.

‘Listen guy, I helped you out because I don’t like bullies but you’re not my responsibility. It’s rough out here, my advice is you get used to that and fast.’ With that Reese turned away from him.

‘Please…if I had any money left, I’d give it to you. I don’t know where I am and-‘

‘It’s not about money.’ Reese said as he swung round to face the man again.

‘Then why won’t you help me?’ 

It was such as simple question with many complex answers but none John wanted to share with this man.

To his surprise the smaller man didn’t flinch from Reese’s hard stare instead he repeated his plea, ‘Please.’

At that moment Joan’s words drifted into his mind, ‘If there really wasn’t anything left, I wouldn’t bother with you. But there’s still a heart in there somewhere, John.’

‘Through gritted teeth John said, ‘Alright come on, but keep up. I won’t wait for you.’

With that Reese turned and walked off, to the vague sound of shuffling behind him. 

They made it to the place John spent his nights, an abandoned building that had seen better days. John could hear the little guy was out of breath, but further analysis was interrupted as the two men were immediately greeted by a voice very familiar to John.

‘You find a new friend John?’ Joan questioned with a hint of amusement.

John turned to find a smile curling one side of her mouth.

‘No good deed goes unpunished. Can’t get rid of him now.’

‘Ignore him Mister our John’s not one for a warm welcome.’ Joan held a dirty hand out to the newcomer.’

The little guy looked at it like it would bite so Joan dropped her hand, ‘I guess he’s not the only one, huh?’ Joan said mostly to herself, ‘You at least gonna tell me your name, or what?’

‘I…I don’t know…I can’t seem to recall.’ The little guy remarked sadly. 

‘You don’t know?’ John asked incredulously.’ 

‘No.’

‘Oh boy…that’s great… just great. What have I got myself into?’ John sighed.

Joan moved towards the newcomer a second time, he flinched but she ignored it and after getting a better look she pulled John to one side.

‘There’s blood in his hair, I think you need to get a closer look, clean him up but a head injury explains his confusion. I’d suggest a hospital…’

‘But he’s got no money and neither do we.’

John sat the little man down next to the wall and crouched in front of him.

‘I’m gonna take a look at your head okay pal?’

The little guy nodded.

To distract him as he pressed into the injured area John asked, ‘So you really got no clue what your name is?’

‘No.’ 

‘Well I can’t just call you Mister, so how about...I know, Henry I always liked that name, my best friend at school was called Henry, he was a great guy.’

‘Okay…ahhh.’

‘Oh sorry, did that hurt?’

‘Yes.’ 

‘Okay, well the bad news is you’ve got a big lump there, good news is the cuts superficial. I’ll clean it out with some bottled water in a minute and it should heal nicely.’

‘Okay, um…thank you.’

‘You’re a polite one, aren’t you? Do you have any other injuries?’

‘I...I’m not s-sure.’

‘Can I check you over?’

Henry looked at John with scared eyes.

‘I’ll be quick and careful, do my best not to hurt you.’

Henry nodded.

‘Okay then.’ John started to feel over Henry’s chest and then down his arms, halfway down Henry’s left arm the man winced.’

‘That hurt?’ John asked

‘Yes.’ Henry confirmed

‘Okay we need to take this jacket off so I can get a better look, alright?’

After a moment’s hesitation Henry took his Jacket off and handed it to John. 

‘The shirt as well if that’s okay.’ John said already seeing sighs of some blood on the left sleeve.

Henry took off his shirt and then John lifted Henry’s arm, doing so revealed the site of the injury. The back of Henry’s arm had a graze in it. It was unnoticed in John’s initial examination because it only tore the clothes at the back and only slightly and the wound itself hadn’t bled enough to be too obvious. But as John examined it more closely, he saw it for what it was, a bullet wound, just a graze but definitely from a bullet passing by. 

John jumped to his feet and away. ‘You were….’ He turned around and went to where Joan had settled herself on the floor. ‘He was shot, someone shot at him. This guy could be big trouble we need to get him out of here and away from us.’

‘Slow down John…take it easy. I don’t think you mean that, we can’t just throw him out, he won’t survive. You can’t do that and I sure as hell can’t, besides if I threw out every guy who might bring trouble down on me, I’d have no friends out here.’ She told him with a wink.

‘But he…he….’

‘He what John? Just look at him, little guy’s terrified.

Henry was looking at them both like he was supper and they were a couple of big bad wolves.

‘I…I’m sorry,’ he said trembling, ‘I don’t want to be any trouble.’

‘Shit yeah, it’d be like putting out a puppy to be mauled by tigers. We’re stuck with him, aren’t we?’ 

The question didn’t need answering so Joan kept quiet.

‘It’s getting late and you must be tired I know I am. It should be safe for you to sleep now. So why don’t you get some rest. I’ll wake you in a while, to check on you.’ John said looking at Henry like he might fall apart any minute.

Henry scanned the room as if trying to figure out where exactly anyone could possibly lie down comfortably and sleep.

John took pity on him, ‘I’m afraid this is no five-star establishment, this here is my bed, it might not be much, but I am willing to share it with you.’

Henry scrutinized what John optimistically called a ‘bed’ which in fact was some cardboard boxes with a couple of sleeping bags on top. Henry thought then that maybe his posh clothes spoke of the man he couldn’t remember, a man who was used to the finer things in life because at that moment he felt like that man and he swallowed hard. He was definitely not used to such hardship if he knew nothing else, he knew that.

But it wasn’t his surroundings that were most off putting to Henry, no it was the thought of this big, imposing man lying next to him in a space small enough to be considered extremely intimate. Henry couldn’t be sure he’d never shared a bed with a man before, but he would put good money on the fact that he’d never shared a bed with a man like John before. But he would tonight, he had little choice in that so he offered his best polite smile and said, ‘Thank you, very much for your kindness,’ as he got up and walked towards his bed for the night. 

‘No, please…no don’t hurt him!’ Henry woke up shouting, his heart pounding in his chest.

‘Henry, hey…it’s okay. It’s alright you’re safe here.’ John whispered sitting up close and speaking next to Henry’s ear. He knew better than to touch someone who’s just woken from a nightmare, you’re as likely to get hit as they lash out as you are to comfort them. And besides he didn’t know this man well enough to take him in his arms. 

Henry was breathing hard.

‘Bad dream? Want to tell me about it. Might help with your memory.’ John tried to prompt. It would be better to know what they were dealing with, how much danger they were in.

‘I…they…he was looking at me and they were going to hurt him, and I couldn’t stop them.’ Henry’s voice was rough with panic.

‘Okay…do you know who they were or maybe who he was…was he a friend?’

‘I…I don’t know…I think he was and it was deliberate…they were sent or no they wanted something not…not just my stuff…our things…it was…no, no I can’t remember it’s all confused.’ Henry put his head in his hands.

‘Okay…alright don’t try and force it. It’s late lie back and try and get some more rest.’

When Henry didn’t move John gently pulled his shoulders to encourage him to lie flat.

It was all quiet for about twenty minutes before Henry said, ‘John?’

‘Can’t sleep?’ John asked.

‘No…I, um…’

‘It’s okay, go on.’ 

‘Well I was just wondering if you could tell me something about yourself.’

‘Why?’

‘Well call me old fashioned but sharing a bed with someone when you only know their first name is…’

‘Unnerving?’

‘Disconcerting, yes.’

‘Okay Henry but I don’t even know your name, your real one that is and I’m okay with this.’

Henry stayed quiet.

‘Alright, what do you want to know?’ John said trying not to sound as resistant to sharing as he was.

‘You…your training…I, we, we could start there. Where did you learn to defend yourself like that?’

‘Army.’

‘Oh, and I guess that’s not something you want to talk about.’

‘No but I’m not ashamed of my experiences, they were some of the best of my life. I had reason to be proud then.’

‘I think you still do.’

‘No offence Henry but like you said yourself, you know nothing but my name.’

‘I know you chose to help me against your better judgement.’

‘That was Joan’s doing not mine.’

‘Not completely.’

‘Mostly.’

‘Maybe, but you saved me from those guys earlier and now you’re sharing your bed with me, so I’m grateful….and maybe you could tell me something else, John maybe tell me about the people who’ve cared about you. I wish I could remember if there was anyone who cares about me.’

‘There was someone…someone I cared a great deal about but…I let her down.’

Henry took a moment to think before he said,’ We all do that, don’t we? Let down the ones we love.’ 

‘For all you know you never did Henry.’

‘No, I think I did. It might all be a bit fuzzy but that dream…there’s his feeling that my friend, what happened to him was my fault.’

‘You can’t know that, you can’t be sure what happened to him.’

‘But the dream, I think they were going to…and I feel like they did…they killed him.’

‘If that’s true and he was killed that thought alone and the fact that you survived would be enough to make you feel guilty. Trust me I know all about survivor’s guilt.’

‘But they wanted to hurt us, I think they’re after me, they’ll h-hurt me or kill me and I can’t stop them, like I couldn’t stop them from hurting my…’

John wasn’t used to giving comfort but realized he had to try.

‘Listen, you’re safe here Henry, okay.’ John turned towards Henry and squeezed his shoulder. ‘Okay?’ He asked.

John was about to take his hand away when Henry grabbed for it. 

‘Thank you, John.’

‘Don’t mention it. Try and get some sleep, alright? It’s been a long day.’

‘Night John.’

‘Night Henry.’ 

The next day John took Harold out to get some food. It was lunch time and they were near a café. John got Henry to hang back while he swiped the leftovers from the nearest table. They had waited patiently for a couple to finish and leave.

‘There you go.’ John said handing John Henry a leftover bit of sandwich and a mostly finished packet of crisps. 

Henry stared at the sandwich.

‘What?’ John asked puzzled as to why he wasn’t tucking in, he had to be starving.

‘I…um, sorry it’s just that lady’s mouth’s been on it.’

‘There’s no room to be squeamish or pride out here Henry. You take what you can get and be glad of it. I wouldn’t normally bother with food. This is mostly for your benefit, so eat up before I take offence.’

With one more look of reluctance Henry gave in and ate. 

When they’d both finished their meagre portions Henry said, ‘Uh…thank you John. I’m not sure I could have…I wouldn’t know what to do if…’

‘Don’t sweat it Henry. Now come on, I could use a drink.’

John was passed out on the mattress after drinking most of the whisky he stole from the off licence. Henry had a couple of swigs to be polite. But still didn’t feel right sharing saliva to get by and wasn’t sure that alcohol was the best fix for the headache he’d had since yesterday. He needed air so he went outside for a little wander.

He’d probably been walking for half an hour and was almost back at the place he shared with John, his new ‘home’ he guessed when someone shouted and he turned towards the noise. 

‘Hey, you…yeah you pal want to do us a favour. Nice guy like you wouldn’t say no would you.’

Henry didn’t like the look of the man addressing him. Him and his friend were dressed in shabby clothes and something in their eyes screamed danger. They probably weren’t the men who were after him but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt him. He started to rush back to John. In his hurry he walked straight into someone.

‘Is there a problem here fellas?’

‘No we’re just making friends with the new guy.’

‘Well don’t, the new guy’s with me and I’m all the friends he needs got it.’ With that he put a possessive arm around Henry. 

The two guys turned and walked off. Not happy about it but not willing to take on John either.

John removed his arm, ‘Sorry about that Henry but I had to scare them off.’

John sat on the makeshift bad and after a moment Henry decided to sit beside him.

‘What…what did those men want from me?’ Henry asked thinking he knew the answer, scared to have it confirmed but needing to know just the same.

‘They see you as an easy mark, think they can get you to beg for them or maybe even sell yourself. Might even use you themselves.’

Henry’s eyes widened in horror, he wished he hadn’t asked.

‘It’s alright Henry, they know you’re with me now.’ John said with a little smirk.

‘Did…do you ever…have to…’ Henry couldn’t figure out how to finish asking that question. 

‘Yeah, once or twice when I needed money for a drink real bad. But mostly I get hold of what I need without doing things like that and don’t look like that, out here you do what you need to survive and I’ve done worse. Besides not everyone can take care of themselves like I can. It’s easy to get taken advantage of.’

Henry thought about that and what might be his reality if it wasn’t for John. He wanted to thank him after a moment’s hesitation he moved a little closer to John and put a hand on his thigh.

‘What are you doing Henry?’ John asked trying to keep the anger from his voice.

Henry snatched his hand away. ‘Sorry…sorry, I guess I don’t know what anyone expects of me anymore. And you John, you’re too good to be true.’

‘I’m not so good Henry but I’m not like them either, hope I never will be. I won’t take advantage.’ He patted Henry’s nearest hand. 

‘I’m so tired of not feeling right.’ Henry said with a sigh.

‘You mean not feeling like yourself?’

‘Yes.’

‘I wish I could help you with that.’

‘Me too, but you’ve done more than enough, more than I have a right to ask. John?’

‘Yes.’

‘Can…can I kiss you?’

‘Only if it’s what you really want.’

‘It is.’

John nodded and then Henry leaned in to kiss him.

A little while later Henry asked, ‘Why are you helping me John?’

‘Because I can, Henry because I can.’

The next day was much the same, begging for money and stealing what the money wouldn’t pay for. It was a nice day, so they sat on the sidewalk while John drank from his latest whisky bottle.

Henry sighed. ‘I wish you-‘

‘I know what you wish but I need it okay.’

‘Okay but why, it’s not just,’ Henry said gesturing to their surroundings.

‘No but it helps with that too…I drink to forget Henry, it’s the only way I ever can.’

‘Ironic, isn’t it?’ Henry said mostly to himself.

John heard him, ‘I guess it is.’

Their musings were interrupted by a man who stopped and then bent to spit at them. The spit landed on the bottom of John’s coat.

‘Hey, we’re human beings you know. He’s a human being.’ Henry had jumped to his feet and confronted the man who was several inches taller and wider.

‘What’re you gonna do about it you little freak?’ The man spat his words with hatred.

‘Henry leave it.’ John warned.

‘Listen to your pal.’ The man warned taking a step towards Henry. But when he moved his arm like he might strike John had hold of him before he could blink. 

‘You’re out numbered, I’d get going if I were you.’

‘You and who’s army, this little shit ain’t gonna be much use.’

John shook the man, ‘Leave him out of it if you know what’s good for you and I don’t need back up.’

John raised up to his full height and the guy had the sense to realize he had him beat.

‘Fine pal, wouldn’t waste my time on scum like you anyway,’ He lurched away from John and scurried off.

‘You gotta get a thinker skin going if you’re to last out here. Can’t let ‘em get to you.’ John said as he sat back down next to Henry.

‘But he…he spat on you.’

‘Isn’t the first, won’t be the last but hey, thanks for defending my honour.’ John smiled at him.

Henry nodded to say your welcome. John offered his whisky and Henry took a swig and then smiled openly at John as he took the whisky back. It felt like a special moment. 

Henry had woken after another bad dream and John had thought he heard him say a man’s name over and over. It began with an N but the rest was mumbled and John wasn’t fully awake when he heard it. John had been rubbing a hand up and down Henry’s back soothingly for a few minutes.

‘You okay? Got your breath back yet.’

‘Nearly I think but I don’t think I’ll ever be okay. They…they shot him John, I still can’t remember much or even his name, but he was my friend and they shot him.’ 

‘I know, I’d be lying if I said it would all be okay. It’ll stay with you forever, but I can…listen if you wanna talk. Or if you want me to hold you, if that helps.’

‘I don’t know if I’m the tactile sort John and I didn’t really think you were either.’

‘Maybe not but…that kiss earlier was nice Henry, really nice.’

Henry turned to look at him and gave a little smile but realizing John probably couldn’t see it in the dark he said, ‘It was, wasn’t it?’

John leaned in then and they kissed again.

‘I could make you feel good Henry, if you let me.’ John assured.

‘I…I don’t know, I don’t know if I’ve ever been with a man before. I wouldn’t know what-‘

‘It’s okay Henry just let me make you feel good, you don’t have to do anything. We can take it slow.’

John did make Henry feel good with his mouth and hands but Henry wanted to do something for John he just didn’t know what he could do. He wanted it to be good but was intimidated by John’s size and talent. He couldn’t give what John had given him.

‘It’s okay, I meant it when I said we’d take it slow. And what we did was really nice. It felt good, didn’t it?’

‘Of course it did John, you’re too good to me.’

‘Hey, come on let’s get some rest. Lie down with me.’ John opened his arms and Henry went into them. After a couple more kisses they settled into a comfortable sleep.

‘You sure did make your knew friend really happy last night.’ Joan said with a smirk the next morning.

‘Hey, keep your voice down will you he’s still asleep.’

‘Needs to get his strength back, I bet.’

‘Cut it out, Joan.’

‘Okay, don’t get your ass in a twist. But seriously John, he seems like a nice guy but he doesn’t belong here and he’ll remember who he is and when he does he’ll be outta here like a shot.’

‘No one belongs here Joan, it’s where we’ve ended up. It’s all we have, it’s no different for Henry.’

‘Maybe not, but I’m saying this as your friend, you can’t keep him John.’ With that she patted his arm and turned away.

John turned back to look at the man sleeping blissfully unaware in his ‘bed’ and wished she was wrong and that Henry would stay right where he was. But John was no innocent and no fool either. She was right and every dream the man had brought him closer to who really was; a man who wouldn’t stay with John. But he had him for now and he would make the most of that. 

For the next few weeks John and Henry got closer and closer. They talked about all sorts and John even opened up more about himself. He was also open about his fear that Henry would remember and leave, he was surprised at his confession. But Henry assured that he didn’t want to leave, that he wasn’t sure he could go back. He was convinced that he must be a bad man. Everything he remembered in his dreams pointed to that fact but if John could accept that about him he didn’t want to be anywhere else. As John no longer considered himself a good man, if Henry was also okay with it then they could stick together. It was simple and so John couldn’t quite believe it was true. But he badly wanted to have faith in his friend. 

John wanted Henry to have something nice. He knew that a man like him was used to having nice things but what could he give him. If he stole something it would be tarnished but he couldn’t afford money for anything but food and the liquor, which he was drinking less of but still needed. Then it struck him, the lost and found. There was a box concealed in a crumbly bit of wall that a few of the guys put stuff in intending to sell it for what it was really worth. Stuff that needed someone with a bit of cash. There wasn’t often much in the box because most things were sold quickly but sometimes one of the more prudent souls would want their own version of ‘a nest egg’. Everyone knew about the box and while there wasn’t always honour amongst the homeless, with the ‘lost and found’, they tried. John searched inside and was in luck. He found an expensive watch. He didn’t care how he would be expected to payback whoever ‘owned’ it. If it brought a smile to Henry’s face it would be worth it. 

The next morning John woke up before Henry and watched him sleep. He had for the first night since he arrived slept through without nightmares. John thought it was a good sign that he was starting to adjust and was actually comfortable maybe even content here. Henry started to stir perhaps sensing John’s attention on him. John reached behind himself for his coat and got the watch out from his coat pocket. He concealed it in his left hand. John moved closer to Henry and stroked his face with the thumb of his right hand.

‘Morning sleepy head.’ John said.

‘Morning.’ Henry smiled at him.

‘I…um, I’ve got a little something for you.’ John transferred the watch to his right hand and lent on his left arm, the rest of himself pressed against Henry. 

‘Open your hand.’ John instructed and as Henry did John put the watch in his hand.

‘What’s this?’ Henry asked clearly surprised.

‘Well, it’s a watch,’ John gave a little chuckle, ‘and it’s for you. I wanted you to have something nice.

Henry looked at John, then the watch and then back to John. He carefully avoided all insulting questions like; ‘Where did you get it?’ ‘Is it stolen?’ etc. But had to be practical none the less.

‘Um…John, shouldn’t we sell this or something. You know for food and things like that?’ Henry didn’t like to say it but that made more sense than a watch he didn’t have much use for.

‘We can always get food and after that visit to the shelter the other day, you’ve got that nice warm coat. We don’t need much else.’

Henry could think of a few things, more clothes, something warmer to cover themselves with at night. A couple of sleeping bags and their coats wasn’t much. But all Henry really needed to survive out there was John ad it seemed important to him that Henry accept this gift, so he would do so graciously.

‘Well, thank you John, it’s a lovely watch and I’d love to wear it.’ Henry held out the watch to John and then held out his wrist. John took the hint and fastened the watch for him.

A little while later it was time for a shower. A kind lady, Jane at a nearby gym let John come in a few times a week to use the facilities before opening. All he had to do was clean up afterwards and be gone before the paying customers arrived. Her brother ran away from home when he was younger and ended up on the streets so she tried where she could to help homeless people. She was fine with Henry also using the showers as she said, ‘He’s so polite and grateful.’ 

John was chatting to Jane while Henry finished up in the shower room. He was starting to wonder what was taking so long and decided to check on him. When he entered the shower room Henry was semi dressed in his trousers his shirt was on but not done up and he was staring at the watch in his hand with an odd expression on his face.

‘What is it? What’s wrong Henry?’

‘N-Nathan gave me this watch. He…he was my friend.’

‘What no I gave you the watch Henry.’ Although as he said it his confusion was already starting to clear.

‘No, John he gave it to me originally. The watch was always mine. Nathan gave it to me for my birthday. See, I remember now, because it’s from Nathan and I’m Harold.’ As he spoke Harold pointed to the underside of the watch where there was an engraving. John took the watch from him.

‘To Harold, my friend and partner love Nathan.’ John looked at Harold.

‘He…he was killed John, shot right in front of me and just as I feared it was all my fault. They wanted to make it look like a robbery gone bad, but they killed him because of what he knew.’ 

It was like Joan said, John couldn’t keep him. Harold told him about what happened that day. The day they met, Nathan was shot because he knew about something Harold had created. Harold didn’t go into details, but John realized the sort of thing it had to be if it was considered important enough to kill someone for. Harold explained that him and Nathan were business partners and that Nathan was the face of their business, Harold had managed to keep his identity secret and didn’t think the men that killed Nathan knew who he was. He was collateral damage because he was with Nathan when they decided to take him out. There couldn’t be a witness to the ‘robbery gone wrong.’ 

Harold had told John that he needed to do something to honour his friend and that meant leaving the place they had shared and doing what he needed to by himself. John tried to convince him to stay saying it was safer to stick together and that the guys who were no doubt still after him wouldn’t find him there. John had put out the word with the homeless folk he trusted, weeks ago, that if anyone should ask about Henry they were to say that he was roughed up and dumped in the river. But it was no guarantee of safety because for the right price who wouldn’t talk. But he strongly felt only he could protect Harold, so he offered to go with him. Join him and help him with whatever he felt he needed to do, no questions asked. But Harold told him this was something he needed to do alone, at least at first. John couldn’t force him to stay, so reluctantly let him leave. 

John barely recognized the man. A few moments before he had been sitting on the sidewalk with his usual bottle of whisky when an overly shiny pair of shoes had stepped into view and as John said, ‘Spare some change pal,’ he looked up at the man in an immaculate blue striped suit and silk tie with not a hair out of place and for a few minutes didn’t register the man as Henry, probably because this was Harold. This was the real thing the man who remembered himself as he truly was yet this man a stranger to John.

‘Hello Mr Reese.’

‘Hen…er, Harold?’

‘You can call me Mr finch.’ 

Harold explained to him that he wanted to offer him a job, give him a purpose, helping people. John wanted to say I already had a purpose, at least before you left I did. But that wasn’t what he really wanted to ask.

‘Is that all you want from me to be your employee?’

‘The work is what’s most important but actually I was thinking this would be more of a partnership Mr Reese.’

‘If that’s the case then don’t you think you should call me John.’

‘Yes, perhaps you’re right and you should call me Harold. Although I confess part of me will always think of myself as Henry. But Harold it is. Can you get on board with that John?’

‘Yes Harold, I think I can.’

Harold and John walked off together but only got a little way before John turned to Harold and said, ‘Why are you doing this? Is it just gratitude?’

Harold smiled and simply said, ‘Because I can, John, because I can.’

John then understood perfectly and returned Harold’s smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I found John's period as a homless person interesting and couldn't help wondering what it would have been like if these two people met on more equal terms. If Harold didn't have the status and power. In fact John had the advantage here with his knowledge of the streets. I thought it woud change the dynamic slightly and that's what inspired the idea.


End file.
